PlainZIP

Franklinton, LA · standard

ZIP Code 70438

Washington County, Louisiana - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

18,540
21/sq mi
$52,864
Median income
$168,400
Median home value
13.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Franklinton pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

18th pct
household income, US ZIPs
34th pct
home value, US ZIPs
21
people per sq mi
78%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 70438 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 70438 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Franklinton, Washington County, Louisiana, home to 18,540 residents across 870.4 square miles, a density of 21 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 70438 reports a modest median household income of $52,864 (11% below the Louisiana average), while per-capita income is $31,373. The poverty rate stands at 17.2% and the unemployment rate at 8.1%. Median home value sits at $168,400 (5% below the state average), median rent at $824 a month, and owner-occupancy at 78.2%.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 13.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.3, and the average commute is 37 minutes. The state and national benchmarks above give 70438's numbers context; they should not be read in isolation.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 70438

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Franklinton, LA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 70438.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 70438, Franklinton, LA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

18,540

Population

870.4

Area (sq mi)

21

People / sq mi

Chicago

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 70438?

42.3

Median Age

50.3%

Male

49.7%

Female

0.2%

Foreign-Born

White 71.1%
African American 17.3%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.1%
Hispanic or Latino 5.2%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$52,864

Median Household Income

-11% vs state

$31,373

Per Capita Income

17.2%

Poverty Rate

8.1%

Unemployment Rate

37.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 70438 ranks nationally

Franklinton, LA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$52,864 18th percentile higher than 18% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 61.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 13.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

9,385

Total Housing Units

7,969

Occupied Units

1,416

Vacant Units

2.38

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 78.2%
Renter 21.8%

$168,400

Median Home Value

-5% vs state

$824

Median Rent

1989

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+1.3%

YoY Change (2024)

209

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+109%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 70438 have increased 1.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +109% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.8% 172
2021 +8.8% 187
2022 +11.9% 209
2023 -1.4% 206
2024 +1.3% 209

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 291 business establishments in ZIP 70438, employing approximately 3,177 people with a combined annual payroll of $129,574,000.

291

Businesses

3,177

Employees

$129.6M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 67 23.0%
Health care and social assistance 36 12.4%
Construction 34 11.7%
Other services (except public administration) 29 10.0%
Finance and insurance 22 7.6%
Accommodation and food services 22 7.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 18 6.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 11 3.8%
Wholesale trade 9 3.1%
Transportation and warehousing 9 3.1%
Manufacturing 8 2.8%
Educational services 5 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 1.7%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 4 1.4%
Information 4 1.4%
Utilities 3 1.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

More ZIP Codes in Washington County

70427 standard
Bogalusa, LA
Pop: 20,033
70426 standard
Angie, LA
Pop: 6,342
70450 standard
Mount Hermon, LA
Pop: 2,884

Related Areas

Washington County Franklinton, LA Louisiana

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 70438 in? ▼
ZIP code 70438 (Franklinton) is located in Washington County, Louisiana. Washington County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/washington-la.
What is the population of ZIP code 70438? ▼
ZIP code 70438 in Franklinton, LA has a population of 18,540 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 70438? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 70438 is $52,864, which is 31% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 70438? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 70438 is $168,400, which is 39% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 70438? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 70438 is White at 71.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 70438? ▼
ZIP code 70438 has 291 business establishments employing approximately 3,177 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 70438? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 70438 are: Retail trade (67), Health care and social assistance (36), Construction (34). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 70438? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 70438 increased by 1.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 109%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 70438? ▼
In ZIP code 70438, 61.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 13.6% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 70438? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 70438 is 37.1 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 70438? ▼
In ZIP code 70438, approximately 78.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 70438? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 70438 is 17.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.